The Cold War and McCarthyism 1945–1960

The years 1945–1960 saw the United States assume the role of global superpower while simultaneously experiencing profound domestic anxiety. The Cold War with the Soviet Union shaped every aspect of American life — foreign policy, domestic politics, culture, and individual freedoms. The Second Red Scare and McCarthyism created a climate of fear that tested the limits of American democracy, while suburban prosperity masked deep social conformity and inequality.

Key Definition: The Cold War (c.1947–1991) was the ideological, political, economic, and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, characterised by competition, proxy wars, nuclear arms race, and propaganda rather than direct military conflict.

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Origins of the Cold War

The wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union collapsed rapidly after 1945. Fundamental disagreements over the post-war order transformed allies into adversaries.